The NBA’s free agency period has thrown up some intriguing player moves with the likes of Chris Paul, Paul George and Gordon Hayward giving their new teams reason to believe in the coming season.
For all the wheeling and dealing that saw 88 players switch teams via the NBA’s annual free agency frenzy 12 months ago, there was only one that really mattered. Kevin Durant’s decision to part ways with Oklahoma City in search of trophies at Golden State proved a seismic shift in more ways than one – not only lifting the Championship-winning Warriors to fearsome new heights in season 2016/17 but also forcing rivals to re-evaluate any previous plans they had to stop them.
And so, having watched the Warriors’ new superstar trio of Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson ruthlessly brush aside LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals in May, a handful of ambitious opponents made their intentions very clear when the free agency period rolled around again this summer.
So who should Golden State watch out for next season?
Boston Celtics
Had they managed to lure Indiana giant Paul George their way, Boston might already be thinking “Championship” just three years after announcing a comprehensive cleanout of their roster and a rebuild aimed at bearing fruit sometime after 2020. That scenario hasn’t transpired, but the Celtics scored big anyway with the shock addition of Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward.
Hayward’s arrival reunites him with coach Brad Stevens – his mentor at Butler University for two seasons in 2009 and 2010 – so he should slot into Boston’s systems with ease. He also brings some serious offensive talent with him to ease the burden on superstar point guard Isaiah Thomas.
Last season, Hayward shot at 41% from behind the three- point line, ranking him fourth in the league for accuracy.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook thrived in the absence of Kevin Durant at Oklahoma City last season, becoming just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double on his way to being named MVP. But even with his 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game, the Thunder could only manage sixth in the Western Conference where they were bundled out in the first round by Houston.
Westbrook needs help – and that help is on its way in the form of Paul George. It’s a surprise move by both parties and one that is seen as only temporary given George’s desire to eventually head to Los Angeles, but for now at least it adds another dimension to the OKC offense that was sadly missing without Durant last season. George is unstoppable when in the mood so if he and Westbrook click the sky is the limit.
Houston Rockets
Even the deadly shooting of James Harden will never be a match for the combined weapons of Durant, Curry and Thompson – but what if you were to add Chris Paul to the mix? We suspect that even the Rockets themselves never imagined they would land a player of Paul’s caliber, but the veteran LA Clippers point guard made their job easy by actively pursuing the chance to partner Harden in what will be a fearsome back court combination.
Paul has sacrificed good money on this move – a rare occurrence in the NBA where the size of the pay packet is how certain superstar egos separate themselves from the rest. But Paul, at 32, values trophies over treasure and in the Houston Rockets he sees an opportunity to lift the side from the third best team in the West to Golden State’s number one rival.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Eastern Conference champions for the past three years, the Cavaliers stunned Golden State in the NBA Finals two seasons ago when they came back from 3-1 down to be crowned champions on the back of some superhuman feats from LeBron James.
But there was no such fairytale comeback in this year’s finals, with LeBron noting after the Warriors took a 3-0 series lead that they were a far superior proposition now with Durant in tow. Perhaps the solution ahead of the upcoming season would have been to bring in some fresh legs and sharper shooters to give LeBron some much needed support. Instead, they let the likes of Paul George and Minnesota-bound Jimmy Butler slip away without ever making a play, opting instead to stick with an ageing roster that looks increasingly unlikely to match up to Golden State’s fast and furious tempo. As long as “The King” is fit and ring anything is possible, but even the greatest player of his generation can’t do it alone. Is this the start of the slide?
